‘Women’s MMA GOAT’ Holly Holm goes for final title shot… Jun Yong Park makes it through the weigh-ins unscathed
Holly Holm (41, USA), dubbed the GOAT (greatest athlete of all time) of women’s combat sports, is on her final title run.
Holm, ranked No. 3 in the UFC’s bantamweight division (61.2kg), weighed in at 135.5 pounds (61.5kg) at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on 15 May. He will face No. 10 Myra Bueno Silva (31, Brazil) in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva on 16 May. His opponent, Silva, also weighed in at 136 lbs.
Holm is considered one of the GOATs in women’s combat sports, having won championships in both boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA). She has defended her titles 16 times in three boxing divisions. In 2015, she defeated Ronda Rousey (36, USA) to become the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. She was also an amateur kickboxing champion. She”s still going strong at a ripe old age.
This might be her last chance. The women’s bantamweight title is vacant after the retirement of the reigning champion Amanda Nunes (35, Brazil). Former champion Juliana Peña (33, USA) and No. 2 Raquel Pennington (34, USA) are among those clamouring for a shot at the title. There are even rumours of a return for Lowry. Holm, ranked No. 3, could also be in the running for a title shot if she wins this fight.
“I’ve always wanted to get my championship belt back, and I feel like I’m not that far away from a title shot,” Holm told the UFC, “and now the title is vacant. I just need to win one fight and I’ll get a title shot,” he said, reiterating his desire to regain the belt.
Bueno Silva said of the fight against Holm: “It’s like a gift from God. I’m so happy. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to fight a great fighter, a former champion.”
Also competing on the main card is “Iron Turtle” Jun Yong Park, 32. At 186 pounds (approx. 84.4kg), Park passes the middleweight (83.9kg) division. His opponent, Albert Durayev, weighed in at 185 lbs (83.9 kg) and was ready to go.
As he had hoped, Park will fight earlier than the co-main event. A new bout between Jack De La Maddalena (AUS), 26, and Basil Hapez (USA), 31, was moved to the co-main event, and Park fought in the fourth bout of the main card. “I like to fight early and finish quickly,” said Park, who had been hoping for an early start. 안전놀이터추천
“I think Durayev’s wrestling and ground game is a little bit better, and I think my standing striking is better. “I think it’s going to be a hard-fought fight for all three rounds,” he said, adding, “The key to this fight will be if we can get each other into our comfort zones.
The main card of UFC Fight Night: Home vs. Bueno Silva, featuring Jun Yong Park, will air live on Sunday, July 16 at 11 a.m. ET on tvN Sports and TVING.